Walking home from swimming on this day 12, I found a pavement garden containing some rather well cared for stinging nettles. No picking from that spot but I did weed some out from the beautiful Tuin van Darwin this morning whilst being shown around the gardens. Those beauties are heading for a nettle omelet and smoothie tomorrow.

I can’t eat enough nettles in April – they are on the menu in myhome 3 times a day! By early May, my appetite is waning for them but I still feel the need once or twice a week. Stinging nettle contains a high proportion of protein, compared with other plants. And an impressive assortment of minerals (iron being the most associated with nettle). I greatly enjoy eating them wilted in a splash of olive oil and water, in omelets,  in drinks,  in anything really – so long as the stings are wilted. The ways to eat this plant are endless and it is possible to harvest without being stung. Nettle also plays host to many insects,  notably butterflies.  So although I could eat them all,  I eat only the succulent tops of a scarce few plants from each swathe that is found.

Now some photos from the most active challenger:

Peter in Belfast had been finding Herb Robert, a very special geranium species.

It has really seeded all over the place from hillside to valley,  countryside to city.

A stunning and strongly scented plant which usually goes unnoticed but has a lot to teach us.